Dress Shirt Collar Support

ABSTRACT

A dress shirt collar support for a dress shirt is provided. The dress shirt collar support includes an open ring having two ends and two collar legs, one leg being adjacent to each end. Each collar leg is placed inside a pocket on the collar of a shirt and the position of the collar legs can be adjusted.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to garment, and more particularly, to collar for dress shirt.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

When a dress shirt is new, the collar stands tall around the neck of the person and thus gives an appearance of sharpness and elegance. However, as the dress shirt is washed after each use, the collar becomes flaccid and wrinkled. To prevent the collar to become wrinkled, a stiffer 108 can be placed under each end of the collar. However, the use of stiffer 108 does not solve all the problems with the appearance. FIG. 1 shows a dress shirt 100. The dress shirt 100 has a turned-down collar 104 attached to a band 102 of the dress shirt 100. As the collar 104 becomes flaccid the collar 104 becomes flat and can no longer remains standing. The angle θ 106 between the collar 104 and the band 102 is large that indicates the collar 104 is flat. When the collar 104 is flat, the dress shirt appearance is less sharp and less desirable even the dress shirt may still have a lot of life left.

Therefore, there is a need for a device that improve appearance of collar of a dress shirt, and it is to this device the present invention is primarily directed.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a simple and yet elegant way to improve the appearance of a dress shirt. In one embodiment, the invention is a collar support with an open ring that has two extremities and two collar legs, each collar leg connected adjacent to one extremity. The collar legs are inserted into pockets under the collar of a shirt and the position of the collar legs can be adjusted.

In another embodiment of the invention there is provided an adjustable dress shirt collar support. The adjustable dress shirt collar support has an open ring, a first inserting ring, and a second inserting ring. The open ring has a first end and a second end, each end having an opening. Each inserting ring can be inserted into the opening of each end and the position of each inserting ring can be adjusted.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Features and advantages of embodiments of the invention will become apparent as the following Detailed Description proceeds, and upon reference to the Drawings, where like numerals depict like elements, and in which:

FIG. 1 is an illustration of a prior art dress shirt;

FIG. 2 is a collar support according to one embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 3 is an illustration of a dress shirt with a collar support;

FIG. 4 is an illustration of another dress shirt with a collar support;

FIG. 5 is a collar support according to an alternative embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a collar support according to yet another alternative embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 7 illustrates an alternative way to attach a collar support onto a collar;

FIG. 8 illustrates a collar support according to yet another alternative embodiment;

FIG. 9 illustrates an alternative way for attaching a collar leg to a collar support; and

FIG. 10 illustrates yet another alternative embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a collar support for use with a shirt that enhances the appearance of the shirt. FIG. 2 is a collar support 200 according to one embodiment of the invention. The collar support 200 includes an open ring 202 with two extremities. There are two collar legs 204, one collar leg 204 adjacent to each extremity. The collar support 200 may be made from plastic, metal, cardboard, bamboo, wood, or other suitable materials. The material preferably is flexible and bendable that allows the position of the collar legs 204 be adjusted slightly. The adjustment of the collar legs 204 enables a user to adjust the appearance of the collar of his shirt. FIG. 10 is an alternative embodiment 100 of the collar support shown in FIG. 2, with simplified collar legs 1004. FIG. 10 is a very simple embodiment with an open ring 1002 and two collar legs 1004. This embodiment can be manufactured easily. FIG. 3 is an illustration 300 of a shirt 302 fitted with a collar support 200 of the present invention. The collar support 200 is fitted between the band 102 and the turned-down collar 104. The open ring 202 goes around the collar 104 and the collar legs 204 are attached to two ends 304 of the collar 104. A user can adjust the height of the collar 104 by adjusting the collar legs 204. With the collar support 200, the angle θ 306 between the collar 104 and the bank 102 can be reduced, thus the appearance of the shirt is improved.

FIG. 4 is an illustration 400 of a collar support 200 fitted in a shirt 402. The collar support 200 is fitted between the band 102 and the turned-down collar 104 like the shirt shown in FIG. 3. Each collar leg 204 is attached to the shift 402 by being inserted into a pocket 404 near the end 304 of the collar 104. The pocket 404 is normally used for inserting stiffeners 108. Other ways for fixing the collar legs 204 to the collar 104 may also be used. For example, the collar leg 204 may be attached to the collar 104 by use of hook-and-loop fasteners, such as Velcro™, as shown in FIG. 7. A piece of the hook-and-loop fastener 702 can be sewed onto the collar 104 and the counterpart 704 of the hook-and-loop faster 702 is attached on one side to the hook-and-loop fastener 702 while the other end can flip on the top of the hook-and-loop faster 702 as indicated by arrow 706. A collar leg 204 of a collar support 200 may be placed on the top of the hook-and-loop faster 702 and the counterpart 704 can flip over it and secure it in place.

FIG. 5 is a collar support 500 according to an alternative embodiment of the present invention. The collar support 500 has an extendable open ring 502 that allows a user to adjust the collar support 500 to the size of his neck. The collar support 500 includes a receiving ring 504 with two ends 506, 508, and two inserting rings 510, 512. Each end 506, 508 has an opening to which the inserting rings 510, 512 may be inserted and the inserting rings 510, 512 may slide along the open ring 502. Each inserting ring 510, 512 is connected to a collar leg 514. The extendable open ring 502 may be made from plastic, metal, or fabric. The inserting rings 510, 512 and the collar legs 514 may be made from plastic, metal, cardboard, bamboo, wood, or other suitable material. Though the collar support 500 is shown with the inserting rings 510, 512 inserted into the two ends 506, 508, other means of adjustment may also be used. For example, the inserting rings 510, 512, instead of being inserted into the two ends 506, 508, may slide outside or inside the open ring 502 if the open ring 502 is equipped with loops (not shown) distributed along its length.

FIG. 6 illustrates a collar support 600 according to yet another alternative embodiment. The collar support 600 is made from a single piece of metallic wire 602. The metallic wire 602 should be malleable that enables the user to adjust the position of collar legs 604. The collar supports 500 and 600 are made from a material that allows the position of the collar legs 514, 604 can be easily adjusted, so the position of the collar can be adjusted to the user's desired position.

FIG. 8 illustrates a collar support 800 according to yet another alternative embodiment. The collar support 800 is made from a strip 806 that forms an open ring 808 with two through holes 802 near its open ends. A collar leg 204 with a protrusion 902 (shown in FIG. 9) is attached to the collar support 800 by inserting the protrusion 902 into the hole 802. This embodiment provides the collar leg 204 a relative rotational movement as indicated by arrows 804. FIG. 9 illustrates a cross-section view 900 of the attachment of a collar leg 204 to a collar support 800 shown in FIG. 8. The protrusion 902 of the collar leg 204 can be inserted into the hold 802 of the strip 806. The protrusion 902 has a slightly large head 904 that prevents the protrusion 902 from sliding out of the hole 802 and also provides additional friction to secure the collar leg 204 in position. The construction of the collar legs shown in FIG. 8 may also be used with the collar supports shown in other figures.

When in use, a user flips the collar up and places the collar support around the band of the shirt. After the collar support is placed around the band, the collar is flipped down, so that the collar support is placed between the band and the collar. Next, the collar legs are inserted into the pockets underneath the collar. After the collar legs are inserted, the user can then adjust easily the position of the collar, which will then provide a sharp image to the shirt and to the user. Alternatively, the collar legs may be attached to the collar of the shirt using a hook-and-loop fastener.

The terms and expressions which have been employed herein are used as terms of description and not of limitation, and there is no intention, in the use of such terms and expressions, of excluding any equivalents of the features shown and described (or portions thereof), and it is recognized that various modifications are possible within the scope of the claims. It is intended that different features shown in different figures in this specification maybe combined interchangeably. Other modifications, variations, and alternatives are also possible. Accordingly, the claims are intended to cover all such equivalents. Dimensions in the drawings here presented are not to the scale unless otherwise indicated. 

1. A dress shirt collar support comprising: an open ring with two extremities; and two collar legs, each collar leg connected adjacent to one extremity.
 2. The dress shirt collar support of claim 1, wherein the open ring being made from metal.
 3. The dress shirt collar support of claim 1, wherein the open ring being made from plastic.
 4. The dress shirt collar support of claim 1, wherein the position of each collar leg being adjustable.
 5. The dress shirt collar support of claim 1, wherein the collar legs may be inserted into pockets under a collar of a shirt.
 6. The dress shirt collar support of claim 1, wherein the collar legs may be attached to a collar of a shirt through hook-and-loop fasteners.
 7. An adjustable dress shirt collar support comprising: an open ring with a first end and a second end, each end having an opening; a first inserting ring; and a second inserting ring, wherein each inserting ring being inserted into the opening of each end and the position of each inserting ring can be adjusted.
 8. The dress shirt support of claim 7, wherein each inserting ring being capable of sliding along the opening ring.
 9. The dress shirt support of claim 7, further comprising two collar legs, one collar leg being connected to one inserting ring.
 10. The dress shirt support of claim 9, wherein each inserting ring having an through hole and each collar leg further comprising: a protrusion; and a head connected to the protrusion, wherein the protrusion can be inserted into the through hole.
 11. The dress shirt support of claim 7, wherein the opening ring being made from metal.
 12. The dress shirt support of claim 7, wherein the opening ring being made from fabric.
 13. The dress shirt support of claim 7, wherein the opening ring being made from plastic.
 14. The dress shirt support of claim 7, wherein the inserting rings being made from metal.
 15. The dress shirt support of claim 7, wherein the inserting rings being made from plastic. 